Portable display case



April 23, 1963 H. A. YOUNT 3,086,645

PORTABLE DISPLAY CASE Filed Feb. l, 1961 INVENTOR Harold A. Yount BY Mau! ATT'EY LUnited States Patent iice 3,686,645 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 Filed Feb. 1, 1961, Ser. No. 86,438 1 Claim. (Cl. 20d-45.13)

This invention relates to a portable `display case and has for its principal object the provision of a device of this nature which enables complete display of all its contents when in an open position, and when in ya closed position forms a convenient carrying case for the contents thereof.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a portable display case having a plurality of novel, biased trays for displaying its contents.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a portable display case which is simple to construct and which has the attendant feature of low cost of manufaclture. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specication and kdrawing wherein like numerals refer to similar parts throughout.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is -a perspective view of the portable display case showing the cover member in a partly opened position; and

FIGURE 2 is a section taken along a longitudinal axis of the display case showing the cover member in the closed position in solid lines, and the cover member in ya partly opened position in dashed lines.

Basically, the portable display case of this invention includes a base member and va cover member secured together by hinge means at one end thereof. A plurality of pivotally mounted trays are disposed in the base member. Means is provided to pivot the trays to ia display position upon opening of the cover member, and to a stored position upon closing of the cover member. The portable display case can be constructed of plastic, wood, light metal, or any other light, suitable material. If plastic is used, the case can be made transparent, translucent or opaque.

Referring to the drawing, the portable display case, generally designated 'as 10, comprises a base member 11, a cover member 12 and a plurality of trays 13. The base member 11 includes a pair of oppositely disposed side walls v14.. Similarly, the cover member includes a pair of oppositely disposed end walls 15 and 16. The cover member 12 is hinged to the Ibase member 11 by a shaft 17 secured to the end wail 16 and journalled in apertures 18 in the side walls 14. This construction permits the cover member to be rotated through 180 degrees from its closed position to a fully opened position. The cover member is held in place in the closed position by snapping the end wall 15 between the inside surface of the base member side walls 14.

The novel trays of this invention, generally designated as 13, are seen to include a bottom lmember 19 `and a pair of oppositely disposed end walls 20. The trays 13 are pivoted to the base member 11 by a pair of pins 21 secured to the underside of the bottom member 19 and journalled in 'apertures 22 in the base member side walls 14. The trays 13 are adapted to pivot between -a stored position as shown Eby the solid lines in FIGURE 2, and a display position as shown in FIGURE 1 and by the dashed lines in FIGURE 2. Rotary movement of the tray 13 to the display position is limited by securing the pins 21 a short distance from the rear edge 23 of the bottom member 19. The action of the rear edge 23 striking the Ibase member 11 controls the amount of rotary movement of the trays 13 as best seen in FIGURE 2.

Biasing means is provided to urge the trays 13 to the 2 display position. As shown in the drawings, the biasing means may include rubber bands 24 secured between a notch 25 in the tray end walls 20 Iand a projection 26 fastened to the base member side walls 14. The rubber bands provided should be of an appropriate size to permit them to be placed under slight tension when the tray is in the display position. This provision will preclude disengagement of the rubber bands 24 from the projections 26.

The trays 13 are adapted to pivot to the stored position by cooperating with the cover member 12. During closing movement of the cover member V12, the upper edge of the tray end walls 20 slidably engages the underside of the cover member. 'Ibis action forces the trays 13 to the stored position as best viewed in FIGURE 2. The tension 'of the rubber bands is such that the trays 13 are easily depressed to the stored position upon closing of the cover member 12.

In summary, operation of the novel portable display case is as follows:

The cover member 12 is opened by unsnapping the end wall 15 from the side walls 14 and rotating the member -12 about the shaft -17 journalled to the base member 11. By this movement, the biasing means comprising the rubber bands 24 urges the trays 13 to the display position as best seen in FIGURE 1. Rotation of the trays `13 is limited by the edge 23 striking the fbase member 11. The cover member is closed by rotating the same in the opposite direction. By this action, the tray end walls 20 engage the underside of the cover 12 thereby forcing the trays to the stored position.

As can be seen from the above description yand drawing, this invention discloses a novel porta-ble display case which will permit complete display of -all its contents when in an open position, and when in a closed position forms a convenient carrying case for the contents thereof. The case can be used to display articles of jewelry, or small larticles of haberdashery, for example. The articles can be clipped or secured to the trays in `any convenient manner. For economy purposes, as many trays as practicable should be provided in the base member. The goods `are best displayed by placing the case on la at surface and opening the cover member towards the observer. The construction of the case permits the cover member to rotate through degrees .and lie in -a plane parallel to the bottom surface of the base member. The display oase ycan be of a size that will permita number of cases to be carried in "a -brief case or salesmans travelling bag. The portable display case of this invention can be easily constructed at a minimum cost to the user thereof. It is very durable and possesses trouble free operating characteristics. The rubber bands or other biasing means can be quickly `and easily replaced when necessary.

It is to be understood that the embodiment shown is for the purpose of illustration only and is not to be taken as the sole form of this invention, in that other embodiments and modifications thereof will fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A portable display case comprising a rectangular base member having only `a bottom and ya pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls, said sidewalls having a top and a bottom edge with the bottom edge connected to said base member, a plurality of trays pivotally mounted on the interior of the sidewalls of said base member intermediate the top `and bottom edges thereof, each of said trays having an inner and an outer end each extending generally transverse to said sidewalls, a first axis means intermediate said ends, said inner end extending beyond said first axis means, each of said trays hav-ing a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls on the remote side of said first axis means, at least one sidewall having a notch therein intermediate its outer end and said irst axis means, va pin mounted on the adjacent sidewall of said lbase member and extending inwardly above the first aXis means, a rubber band connecting said pin `and said respective notch, each of said trays having an open and a closed position, said rubber :band being of length with respect to the distance between said pin -and said notch -that it is under tension rwhen each of said trays are in vthe open position and under lgreater tension when each of said trays are in a closed position, said dirst axis means 'being in spaced position from said inner end so that in saidopen position of said trays the inner ends of each of the trays lie in contacting Irelation swith said base member and act as a stop to limit the outward swing of said trays, the combination of said rubber Iband, said inner end of each said tray and said base member .acting together for biasing and retaining each of said trays in the open position under tension, and a rectangular cover member having a top and a pair of oppositely disposed end Walls, a second axis means extending parallel to said iirst axis means and pivotally mounting said cover member adjacent one end thereof to said sidewalls of the base member, whereby movement of said cover member in said irst rotary direction yallo-Ws said trays to pivot in said rst rotary direction to the open position under inuence of the rubber Iband biasing means, and movement of said cover member in said second rotary direction forces said trays in said second direction to a closed position against the action of said rubber band biasing means and increasing the tension therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 361,085 Savage Apr. 12, 1887 1,901,784 Suez Mar. 14, 1933 2,525,728 Sauer Oct. 10, 1950 2,589,593 Anderson et a1 Mar. 18, 1952,V

FOREIGN PATENTS 3 4,816 Great Britain Nov. 26, 1878 

